• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.89-90
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• 2006

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2013

Plant virus coat (CP) gene-mediated protection is one of the best known approaches to protect against virus resistant transgenic plants. Transgenic N. benthamiana plants containing the CP gene of Zucchini green mottle mosaic virus (ZGMMV) were used for the environmental risk assessment of the living modified (LM) plants with plant virus resistance. The most optimal co-infection method of both ZGMMV and CMV (Cucumber mosaic virus) on Non-LM and CP-expressing LM tobacco plants was established and co-infection of CMV and ZGMMV was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To address the effects of LM tobacco plants on the mutation of the virus, in-vitro transcripts of CP and Replicase (Rep) derived from CMV and/or ZGMMV were inoculated onto Non-LM or LM tobacco plants. Mutation frequency of CP and Rep from CMV and ZGMMV was examined through six serial passages in Non-LM and LM tobacco plants. Little actual frequency of mutation was estimated, probably due to the limited number of transgenic plants tested in this study. However, it does not suggest environmental safety of these CP-mediated LM plants. Further study at a larger scale is needed to evaluate the environmental risk associated with the CP-expressing LM plants.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.4 s.51
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• pp.259-271
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• 2005

Engineered nanoparticles exhibit a variety of unique and tunable chemical and physical properties. These unique properties make the nanoparticles central components and widespread potential applications in nanoindustry. However, the potential toxicities of nanoparticles have not been fully evaluated. Recently, the impacts of nanoparticles to human and environment became the emerging issue of toxicology. In this article, physicochemical properties and toxicities of carbon nanotube, fullerene, quantum dots, and other types of nanomaterials were reviewed and the strategy of risk assessment were suggested based on the frame of chemical assessment.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.435-439
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• 2010

In Korea, food-risk shock announcements are made one or more times annually; such as last September, 2010 when Seoul City revealed a very high concentration of cadmium in small octopus intestines sold in Korea. As a result, consumers avoided eating domestic as well as imported small octopus. Fishermen protested against Seoul city; however, the Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) announced that small octopus intestines pose no safety risk. The conflict between KFDA and Seoul City on the safety of small octopus intestines amplified the confusion of consumers. The small octopus cadmium shock resembled previous food-risk shocks in many respects. Effective risk communication is important in resolving food risk shocks as risk affects people case-by-case; for example people who do not eat small octopus intestines should not be at any risk, but those who do enjoy small octopus intestines, especially one more times per week, could be at risk. Therefore, it is necessary to communicate different risk messages to people or groups with different eating habits. From this point of view, the risk message conveyed by the KFDA on small octopus intestines was not appropriate.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2021

Background: Concerns have been raised regarding the criteria of groundwater, in particular in Gwangwon-do Province where many residents drink groundwater due to the poor supply of tap water and a high nonconformity rate with water quality criteria nationwide. Objectives: Water quality monitoring and risk assessment were conducted for groundwater in Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province. Methods: A total of 46 items required for meeting drinking water criteria were analyzed from 258 samples collected from March 2017 through August 2018 (152 sites in 2017 and 106 sites in 2018). Risk assessment was conducted for two non-carcinogens (F^- and NO₃-N), and one carcinogen (i.e., arsenic) based on their high nonconformity to water quality criteria. Results: Water quality analysis revealed that the total proportion of nonconformities was determined to be 27.9%. The nonconformity rate for each content item is as follows: total colony counts (1.6%), total coliform (6.2%), Escherichia coli (1.2%), F^- (8.1%), arsenic (4.7%), NO₃-N (8.1%), pH (1.2%), manganese (0.4%), and turbidity (5.8%). Risk assessment indicated that fluoride induced a hazard quotient greater than 1 with the 95% UCL (Upper Confidence Limit) concentration of the total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. For NO₃-N, there was no human health risk. For arsenic, the excess cancer risk exceeded the acceptable cancer risk of 1×10^-6 with the average and 95% UCL concentrations of total 258 sites and average, median, and 95% UCL concentrations of nonconformity sites. Conclusions: This study suggests that it is necessary to expand water quality monitoring of groundwater and conduct a more detailed risk assessment in order to establish a health care plan for the residents of Hoengseong, Gangwon-do Province.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Toocicology Conference
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• 2000.12a
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• pp.49-49
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• 2000

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2002

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4B
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• pp.261-266
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• 2012

In this study, soil environmental impact assessment using risk-based approach was compared with that using concentration-based approach. For this, heavy metal contaminant exposure was characterized in an abandoned mine area. According to the estimated carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks, soil ingestion was identified as the most dominant exposure pathway. When contaminant concentrations exceeded the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards, their corresponding risk values also exceeded the Total Soil Risk Standard. Even the cases of satisfying the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards mostly showed higher risk levels than the Total Soil Risk Standard, re-confirming a more sensitivity of the risk-based assessment than concentration-based assessment. However, the in-depth analysis of the estimated non-carcinogenic risk values revealed a few cases for soil contact pathway showing contaminant concentrations higher than the Korean Soil Contamination Warning Standards although their non-carcinogenic risk values satisfied the level of Hazard Index Standard. The findings from this study support a necessity of shifting policy paradigm from concentration-based approach into risk-based approach for reliable risk assessment in abandoned mine areas, and also suggest a necessity of further fundamental studies regarding risk factors and standards.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.297-302
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• 2015

With the intention to solve environmental problems caused by synthetic plastics from petroleum resources, biodegradable polyurethane foams and thermosetting moldings were prepared from biomass, such as wood and wheat bran by liquefaction method. Biodegradability of these biomass-based polymeric materials was investigated. In activated sludge, polyurethane foams from liquefied wheat bran and thermosetting molding from phenolated wood were decomposed approximately 14% and 29% for 20 days, respectively. One of the wood fungi, Coriolus versicolor was able to grow without supplemental nutrition, only with distilled water and polyurethane foam as a nutrition source. Risk assessments were also conducted and results showed that estrogenicity, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity were not observed in the extractives of biomass- based polymeric materials.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2010

The aims of this study were to develop the suitable "system software" in chemical ranking and scoring (CRS) for the food hazardous chemicals associated with environmental emission and to suggest the priority lists of food contamination by environmental-origined pollutants. Study materials were selected with reference to the priority pollutants list for environment and food management from domestic and foreign research and the number of study materials is 103 pollutants (18 heavy metals, 10 PBTs, 10 EDs, and 65 organic compounds). The Food-CRS-Korea system consisted of the environmental fate model via multimedia, transfer environment to food model, and health risk assessment by contaminated food intake. We have established that health risks of excess cancer risks, hazard quotients (HQs) by chronic toxicity and HQs by reproductive toxicity convert to score, respectively. The creditable scoring system was designed to consider uncertainty of quantitative risk assessment based on VOI (Value-Of-Information). The predictability of the Food-CRS-Korea model was evaluated by comparing the presumable values and the measured ones of the environmental media and foodstuffs. The priority lists based on emissions with background-level-correction are 15 pollutants such as arsenic, cadmium, and etc. The priority lists based on environmental monitoring date are 17 pollutants including DEHP, TCDD, and so on. Consequently, we suggested the priority lists of 13 pollutants by considering the several emission and exposure scenarios. According to the Food-CRS-Korea system, arsenics, cadmium, chromes, DEHP, leads, and nickels have high health risk rates and reliable grades.